1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing system a management method, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been proposed an image forming apparatus that stores configuration data in a storage unit. The configuration data is setting information (operation setting information) for switching the operation of the image forming apparatus. Since configuration data is stored in the storage unit provided in each of the image forming apparatuses, the setting changes in configuration data need to be made by the number of image forming apparatuses in order to change configuration data for all of the image forming apparatuses.
For saving the time and required for changing the settings of configuration data by the number of image forming apparatuses, there has been proposed a technology in which the settings of configuration data for a plurality of image forming apparatuses are made at one time by a certain information processing apparatus. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-130838 discloses an image forming system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses, to which the initial setting operation has been performed, downloads initial system setting information from a server and reflects the downloaded initial system setting information to the initial setting content.
Also, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-153943 discloses a method for notifying a start of distribution of configuration data from a server to an image forming apparatus, requiring distribution of configuration data from the image forming apparatus to the server when new configuration data has not been distributed when the use uses the image forming apparatus after the start of distribution.
Also, it is contemplated that the server (a management device) located on the Internet holds configuration data performs setting in a collective manner without limitation about physical position in which the image forming apparatus is placed. Note that a firewall is generally located between an intranet on which the image forming apparatus is placed and the Internet on which the server is placed. Since a firewall rejects a connection from the Internet to the intranet, the firewall has a communication configuration in which the image forming apparatus connects to the server so as to acquire configuration data when the server is placed on the Internet.
Configuration data of the image forming apparatus is generally retained and much less changed during operation of the image forming apparatus after being placed once the image forming apparatus has been newly placed and its configuration data is set. Thus, when configuration data is managed such as by the server on the Internet, regular polling of configuration data by the image forming apparatus causes unnecessary communication network load. Therefore, for reducing such unnecessary communication traffic, a structure in which the image forming apparatus acquires configuration data when the image forming apparatus activates is general.
However, there may be an image forming apparatus rarely performs the power OFF/ON depending on the circumstance of usage. As a result, such image forming apparatus has less and less opportunity to acquire configuration data, the configuration data is not reflected on the image forming apparatus over a long period even if the configuration data is changed on the management device, and thus continues the operation with old setting configuration data. In addition, when there may be other image forming apparatus that has configuration data associated with a setting of changed configuration data corresponding to certain image forming apparatus, the other image forming apparatus needs to promptly acquire configuration data. However, when applying prior art, the other image forming apparatus has to continue the operation with the old setting.